Girl, 5, has the best response to school friend who 'fat shamed' her
When Allison Kimmey sent her five-year-old daughter to school, she never imagined she would come home with a fat shaming story.
Surely at the ripe old age of five, this was something the mum wouldn't have to worry about.
And even though she will be anxious (she's a mum after all), she doesn't have to be, because her daughter, Cambelle, handled the awkward situation better than anyone could imagine for a child of her age.
When the youngster arrived home from school she exclaimed there was something she needed to share with her mum.
Baffled Allison asked what was up with Cambelle – little did she know how proud of her daughter she would be in that instant.
Cambelle proceeded: "Yesterday at practise my shirt came up a little bit and my tummy was showing. The girl next to me looked at me and said that my tummy was fat."
While the mum-of-two instantly thought 'here we go', that she was going to have a whole lot of explaining to do to help her five-year-old understand 'fat' is not a bad word.
But instead, she requested Cambelle's thoughts, asking what she replied, Cambelle explained: "I told her that I'm not fat, I HAVE fat. And that everybody has fat. And I told her it's okay to have fat."
While mum was doing a happy dance on the inside, she also made sure to let her princess know how amazing she is.
"I am SO proud of you for the way you handled that situation. Fat is not a bad word, I don't think she was trying to hurt your feelings."
"It was so brave of you to help her understand that all people have fat, but that no one IS fat. And that it doesn't make you a bad person if you have more or less of it," added the mum-of-two.
Allison was proud of her daughter because she educated another child who took the comments on board, but not alone that, she also handled the situation with more grace than many grown adults, and that she needs to be applauded for.
Because the thing is – children are not born thinking someone is 'fat', it is a perception which is learned.
"Children aren't born with hate inside them. They learn words from their environments and the things they see/hear, and they try them on for size. I can't prepare my daughter for all of life's situations, but I can help her to be a voice of compassion, humility and love."
"And to anyone that will undoubtedly say that this is 'promoting obesity', please understand that preventing childhood bullying before it can even start is not a matter of weight, but of character."
Furthermore, the incident made Cambelle think about her own actions: "Remember that time I told you that you were fat? I'm sorry I did that."
But Allison is content now, knowing the most important thing is that this little girl learned from her mistakes, and she is continuing to educate others.
Who knew we would be taking lessons from a five-year-old? What a super role model she is going to be in years to come.